7-Eleven Gives Away Free Water and Food in Florida

After being accused by some in Florida of illegal price gouging in the face of Hurricane Irma, franchisor 7-Eleven not only gave away 4,800 cases of free water on Saturday, it included free food too. The firm also explained the pricing, which was then deemed legal.

After multiple reports of high pricing on water, some 7-Eleven locations in Florida will be offering free water to residents as they prepare for Hurricane Irma.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi told ABC Action News in Tampa that her office received 39 complaints about prices on cases of water at Tampa Bay 7-Elevens. The gas station chain tweeted Friday night that it was sending trucks to Orlando, Port Orange and Oldsmar locations to hand out free water starting at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Late Friday, 7-Eleven’s corporate office said it would be sending 1,600 cases of water to each of the three Florida locations, totaling 4,800 cases, to be distributed Saturday. The chain is also pledging a $150,000 donation to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Irma relief, the same amount 7-Eleven pledged for Hurricane Harvey relief. — Doha Madani, Huffington Post

In Port Orange on Saturday people repeatedly thanked a band of franchisees as cases of water were loaded into their cars.